Though you may not want to think about the day when your baby is all grown up and ready to enter the workforce, spending some time considering your actions now can have an impact on your child’s job success in the future. According to experts, these are five traits you should model now to help kids succeed in their careers as adults.
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Humility
Being humble and understanding that no matter what you attain, you still have something to learn from others is important to a successful career. Cheryl Bachelder, CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, said in a recent interview, “I think you also have to demonstrate humility. It’s not about you. Your bold ideas are for the enterprise. It’s not about your resume, it’s not about your promotion, it’s not about your salary. People figure out pretty quickly if the leader is for them or for the self. People don’t want to follow a leader who is solely focused on advancing themselves.”
Curiosity
Micky Pant, CEO of Yum, China, told Forbes in an interview that he seeks out job candidates that are curious because they are the best at solving problems and innovating. So when your kid asks you 101 questions about how airplanes fly, it’s important to encourage that curious mind, no matter how exhausting it can be.
Inclusion
Paul Block, CEO of Merisant, says that diversity is critical to a successful workplace, “People with different lifestyles and different backgrounds challenge each other more. Diversity creates dissent, and you need that.” Teaching kids early about diversity and the importance of including others, regardless of their differences, can help them grow up to embrace inclusiveness.
Generosity
Erika Andersen, author of Be Bad First, says,“Generous leadership makes people feel capable, included, and motivated to succeed. It also makes them feel generous themselves. A generous leader is a powerful role model and catalyst for an open, honest, supportive organization.” According to studies, kids have natural tendencies towards being self-centered, and developing an understanding of others needs only happens as the brain matures. One of the best ways to help encourage generous behavior is by modeling it yourself.
Appreciation
According to Executive Coach Ora Shtull, exhorting appreciation of co-workers can help strengthen relationships in the workplace, which ultimately leads to a more successful, team-oriented work environment. Teaching gratitude to young kids can definitely be challenging, but not impossible. Teaching through role play, making an effort to show appreciation yourself, and showing kids concrete examples of gratitude are all great ideas.
Do you model any of these traits with your own kids? Share your thoughts in the comments.
